


Drift Up the Dark

by balloonwhisk



Series: The Only Thing That Makes Sense [4]
Category: The Bright Sessions (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, short coda for 50 - Rose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 22:48:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14388726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/balloonwhisk/pseuds/balloonwhisk
Summary: Rose makes pancakes for breakfast.





	Drift Up the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> I'm working on a second part for this with Damien, but I'm a little stuck so I thought I'd at least let this first bit see the light of day! This is unbetaed so please let me know if you see any mistakes. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
> 
> The title is from Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. The musical episode really made me think of it!  
>  _"Only you can hear and see, behind the eyes of the sleepers, the movements and countries and mazes and colours and dismays and rainbows and tunes and wishes and flight and fall and despairs and big seas of their dreams. From where you are, you can hear their dreams."_  
>  Is this not perfectly Rose?

“So, how was movie night?”

Rose flinched a little and focused on folding the whipped egg whites into the batter instead of answering. Emily came up behind her and dropped a kiss on the back of her neck before hooking her chin over Rose’s shoulder to peek at what she was doing.

“Pancakes?”

Rose hummed her assent. Emily slid an arm around her waist.

“Did you not have a good time? You were so excited about it before, I couldn’t get you to shut up!”

“Hey!”

Emily chuckled and pulled Rose closer. “You’ve been broody. Spill.”

“I told you. We watched a bunch of old musicals. It was fine.” Rose slipped from Emily’s embrace to get a pan from the cupboard. Emily stopped her on the way back to the stove.

“Babe, I’ve been listening to blow-by-blow accounts of every conversation you’ve had with Caleb and Adam. You did an actual victory dance when Sam texted you to invite you over.”

Rose ducked her head. Emily rubbed her arm soothingly. “Did something happen?”

Rose blew out a breath. “We all fell asleep.”

“Ah.” Emily took a step back. “You went for a walk?”

“I just wanted to get to know them a bit better.”

“And?”

“Well, I had musicals on my mind so I kind of brought that over with me. You remember when I was stressing about my new boss and we spent one dream mincing onions?”

Emily nodded.

“It was like that. Except… they all sang about their deepest darkest fears.”

“Rose!”

“ _I know!_ I know. I didn’t mean for it to happen. But once it did, I couldn’t just leave!”

Emily crossed her arms.

“Okay, fine. I stayed because I wanted to see what they were hiding.” Rose turned to the stove and busied herself with melting butter in the pan to escape Emily’s eyes on her. “I need to know who I’m dealing with. I trusted Damien. I trusted the AM. There is so much out there that I have _no idea_ about.”

“Even so, you can’t go poking in. You know you can’t.”

“I was just going to take a quick look, that’s all.”

Emily was silent as Rose ladled some batter onto the pan and sprinkled chocolate chips on top.

“He saw me.” Rose continued. “Mark. He’s the mimic I told you about?”

“I remember.”

“He saw me in his dream.” Rose flipped the pancakes.

“So that’s why you’re upset? Because you got caught?”

“No! That’s not the only reason.” Rose stacked the pancakes on a plate and started the next batch. “I know I shouldn’t have stayed. I shouldn’t have gone in the first place. But…”

“But...”

“People are so frustrating!” Rose waved the spatula around. “They are so different on the inside! So much bigger! I knew that, but I didn’t understand it until I saw for myself. And now that I do, it feels like there’s always something missing. It’s like a shadow play. I only get to see their outlines. I have to go in.”

Emily leaned against the counter and grabbed a pancake to snack on. Rose half-heartedly glared at her, but Emily just grinned serenely before turning serious.

“I’m trying to understand. I am. But you need to _let_ people reveal themselves to you. As fast as they want to. As much as they want to.”

The coffee machine beeped and Emily moved to pour them both a cup. She took a sip from hers and leaned against the counter.

“We didn’t talk about everything you found inside my head.”

“Em-”

“I’m not mad at you. Not anymore anyway. I know you’re trying. Now you ask me, and you let me know whenever you’re there. At least, I hope you do.”

“Of course! Em, I would never go in without your permission, I swear.”

“But you go in without theirs?”

“It’s not the same!”

“How is it not the same?”

“I trust you. I know you.”

“Because you’ve already been in my head.”

Rose sighed and flipped the pancakes on the pan. They were a little burnt, but hopefully still edible.

“You’re right. It’s just… I’m so happy that I get to share this with you. But you don’t _really_ know what it’s like. When I’m inside your head, you’re aware of me and you hold back.” She stacked the last batch of pancakes, turned off the stove and picked the plate up to carry it over to the table. Emily grabbed their coffees and joined her. “But it’s different when people don’t know I’m there. It’s a whole universe waiting to be explored.”

Emily frowned. “It’s not, though. It’s not an uncharted, uninhabited land. It belongs to somebody. It’s where people put things they hide even from themselves.”

Rose’s face crumpled and she dropped her forehead against the table. Emily quickly moved Rose’s coffee cup out of the way before it could spill over.

“Rose?” she asked, alarmed.

“I hate this.” Rose murmured. “I hate that I can’t use my ability without _invading_ someone.”

Emily reached out and gently combed Rose’s hair back with her fingers. Rose lifted her head to look at Emily, her face painfully open. Then she took a deep breath and stood up. “I’ll get the syrup.”

Emily watched Rose grab the bottle off the counter. She had the distinct feeling that she was getting in over her head. “It’ll be alright.” She tried a reassuring smile. “We’ll figure it out.”

Rose placed the syrup bottle on the table and then cupped Emily’s face and kissed her. After a long moment, Emily pulled back, eyes dazed.

“What was that for?”

Rose shook her head. “Thank you.”

Emily’s cheeks turned a pleased pink and she patted Rose’s empty chair. “Come on, we’re going to be late for work.”


End file.
